Slade Wilson is in a pickle. The infamous assassin is losing his vision in his one remaining eye due to a nasty encounter with a high dose of radiation (in a previous issue, according to the editor). Fortunately, he’s got a good medical team working on it: Dr. Villain (pronounced Will-Hayne; it’s French) and the new Power Girl*. She’s 16, a former Teen Titan, and the youngest person to ever receive her doctorate from MIT.

This is the first issue of Deathstroke I’ve read. I’ve always regarded him as one of those extremely popular villains that the adventure-starved gravitate toward. We all like the bad boys. But I was pleasantly surprised to discover he doesn’t regard himself as a villain, nor a hero. He has special abilities, which he puts to use to fund his lifestyle. And he doesn’t wear a costume, it’s a uniform.

He also has two grown children, Joseph and Rose, who provide the family drama. In an era before Rebirth, they were known as Jericho (a rather lame Teen Titan) and Ravager (who split her time as both member and nemesis to the Teen Titans).

I like the artwork, it’s very stylish but not terribly different from some of the other work appearing in other DC titles these days. Maybe that’s a result of the coloring. Though it’s effective in enhancing mood and setting, I found it a little overworked – and distracting – in some places.

But I can't wait for Deathstroke #16.

*The original Power Girl has gone back to Earth; again, according to the editor.